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Is all this violence due to lack of confidence? - EDITORIAL

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23 December 2014 04:48 am - 0     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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street drama troupe which included veteran artiste Jayathilaka Bandara were attacked at Hambantota on Sunday by an unidentified group of goons. The goons who stormed the scene, soon after the street drama was over, chased away the journalists and smashed a camera belonging to a photographer before attacking the artistes. The attack took place in broad daylight in the midst of hundreds of spectators in the hometown of the UPFA presidential candidate and Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

 


This is not the first incident of violence to take place during the election campaign for the January 8 presidential election. Jayathilaka Bandara himself was attacked during a similar street drama show at Eppawala on December 5 and a stage erected at Wanduramba for a meeting of the common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena was attacked and burnt down on December 18. These incidents point to the fact that with the Presidential campaign gaining momentum a trend of violence is also mounting. 


After the arson attack on the Opposition candidate’s stage at Wanduramba,  police had arrested several persons who were said to be Deputy Minister Nishantha Muthuhettigama’s supporters despite his denial of any hand in the incident. However, when the suspects were taken to Courts another armed group had waylaid and grabbed the suspects in police custody after which the police had given chase and managed to retake the suspects into their custody. In spite of Muthuhettigama’s repeated denials of his involvement, police now have arrested three personnel of his security detail who were attached to the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) for snatching the suspects.


It is interesting to note that the suspects were taken away by force from police custody in spite of the order by the President to investigate into the arson attack. This might have led many to doubt the genuineness of President’s order or to believe that his authority was getting eroded to a level that there are people who are up to disrespect his orders.


Police have to be commended for having courage to retake the arson attack suspects after they were snatched, but the failure on their part to apprehend the snatchers on the spot speaks of the possible identity of the culprits. 


Government leaders might deny the involvement of their supporters in these violent incidents or they might present their fanciful theory that the victims themselves had staged the attack scenes. Despite these arguments being good for talk shows telecast over TV programmes, it is doubtful whether even they are assured of finding someone who believed their stories.


In rare cases their denials might be true. But going by the history of ruling parties in the country, who believes these denials and fanciful stories? Besides, the moral duty to hold a fair and free election falls on the shoulders of the incumbent Government and not that of any other person or institution. If this trend of violence is not arrested it would give credence to the Opposition’s allegation that the Government is suppressing dissent.


The purpose of the street drama may be some sort of campaigning for the opposition’s candidate. But it is not a crime. Even a crime has to be dealt with according to the law of the land. Also the ruling party should not be alarmed by this type of propaganda if they have  confidence on the people whom they boast, they rendered yeomen service to. On the other hand, voters would not change their mind just because of the exhibition of muscle power of a political party.


All these incidents are taking place while the UPFA is boasting of the victory at the forthcoming Presidential election. However, if the victory of the UPFA is already assured, as the ruling party it has a moral duty to prove to the world after the election, that the victory was achieved in a free and fair election, despite one candidate being the President with executive powers and state resources, while the other 18 were ordinary citizens. Also if the violent trend continues one has to conclude that the ruling party is alarmed by the Opposition’s choice of the candidate and its campaign.

 


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